At its May 10, 2024, meeting, the College Senate voted in favor of a revision to the Graduate Thesis/Project Continuation Policy regarding the continuation of the graduate thesis project beyond approved credits, to be implemented as follows:
WHEREAS the Graduate Thesis/Project Continuation Policy effective fall 2017 has functionally resulted in Graduate Office staff taking on the role of advisors to students out of compliance with the policy; and
WHEREAS, the current policy is creating undue compliance monitoring and advising by Graduate Studies Office staff; and
WHEREAS, maintaining continuous registration by registering for 721 Thesis/Project Continuation (non-credit-bearing; non-billable) is optional for two academic semesters after receiving a grade of IP for a capstone thesis/project and has created confusion for students and instructors that has resulted in students become inactive after two academic semesters of no registration; and
WHEREAS, the current Graduate Thesis/Project Continuation Policy allowing for students to register for 721 Thesis/Project Continuation (non-credit-bearing; non-billable) for two semesters does not reflect faculty time and effort in monitoring ongoing graduate work; and
WHEREAS, implementing a continuation credit policy 722 Thesis/Project Extended (non-credit bearing, billable for 1 credit at existing graduate tuition rates, and repeatable without limit until project or thesis completion) may improve time-to-graduation rates for graduate students; and
WHEREAS, students who become inactive before the current policy requirement to register for 722 is effective must reapply for readmission and pay an application fee before the capstone project or thesis can be completed; and
WHEREAS students must have active status in the semester their degree is conferred; and
WHEREAS, grading for thesis/project courses should be considered independent of other courses (this is not the case with how the current policy requiring 722 is written); and
WHEREAS, instructors recording grades of IP for a thesis or master's project course are expected to create a plan with students for completing the thesis or project requirements prior to recording the grade of IP at the request of the student; and
WHEREAS, students who are using campus resources (e.g., library, technology, faculty guidance) to complete their academic work should be paying the tuition and/or fees associated with the provision of such resources,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Graduate Advisory Council, Graduate Studies, and the College Senate Instruction and Research Committee recommend that Buffalo State adopt the following revised Graduate Thesis/Project policy:
- Graduate students who do not complete their capstone thesis or project requirement by the end of the term in which they have registered will receive an IP grade on their transcript contingent on development of a completion plan approved by the instructor of record.
- Once a graduate student has received an IP grade in the required thesis or project course(s), the student must register for 722 Thesis/Project Extended* (non-credit-bearing and billable for 1 credit at existing graduate tuition rates) each of the following academic (fall and spring) semesters until the thesis or project has been completed. If a student does not register for the 722 course and the student’s status becomes inactive, the student is required to reapply for admission to graduate studies and pay an application fee before the capstone project or thesis can be completed. Students must also register for the 722 Thesis/Project Extended course the semester they are reapplying. Reapplication must be made in accordance with the established deadline dates and current admission requirements.
- 722 Thesis/Project Extended courses will receive a grade of NR.
- Once a student has completed the thesis or project, the thesis or project advisor will submit change of grade request to change the IP to the appropriate grade.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Instruction and Research Committee recommend that Buffalo State update DOPS 1:16:03 to replace the current IP grade text with the following:
IP (In Progress) grade is reserved for graduate students who have not completed their thesis or project requirements. When work is completed, the instructor submits a grade change, replacing the IP grade with a final grade. A grade of N (Grade Delayed) may not be submitted for a thesis or project.
* Students may space out credits for capstone courses to align with expectations for completion to maintain continuous enrollment (i.e., 6-credit thesis spaced out as 3 credits during initial semester and 3 credits the second semester). This may be done only if the course is catalogued to allow for variable credit hours (3-6) with a repeat rule of twice, and with permission of the respective department.
I hereby accept the resolution of the College Senate regarding the Revision to Graduate Thesis/Project Continuation Policy at Buffalo State. I charge the interim provost and vice president for enrollment management with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of this policy change and for communicating the change to the campus community.
